How many have you seen? Follow along, as we list the 10 best soccer documentaries ever made.
Soccer, or football as it’s globally known, is one of the oldest global sports. With over 160 years of history, touching all corners of the globe, the sport is rich with plots and subplots all of which can be stretched out over an hour, or 10.
Whether it’s the Busby Babes, the formation of the Premier League, the tales of different World Cup, European Cup, or title-winning sides, or the trials and tribulations of some of the greatest players, there are plenty of topics soccer documentaries can choose to hone in on.
Luckily for us, it seems nothing is off-limits. The library of soccer documentaries is large. Larger perhaps than any other sport. For us, the task of whittling this down to the 10 best soccer documentaries was long and difficult.
That doesn’t mean we didn’t go for it. Here are our top 10 best soccer documentaries ever. Do you agree?
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The 10 best soccer documentaries ever
Honourable mentions:
Football’s Most Dangerous Rivalry, Ronaldo: The Phenomenon, Two Escobars, An Impossible Job, and I Believe in Miracles could all consider themselves unlucky to miss our list.
10. Shame in the Game: Racism in Football, 2020
Unfortunately, racism in football exists. Even in the modern era, it remains quite prominent. Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior knows this sad reality all too well, as does Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling. Shame in the Game: Racism in Football is a documentary following footballs of all levels in the UK calling for action to end racism in the sport.
9. Footeuses, 2020
Footeuses is ‘dedicated to women’s football and its protagonists.’ It speaks to the rise of women’s football in the French capital, Paris, exploring the importance of football in the lives of the Parisian girls and women who play it not only out of love but necessity as well.
8. Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In
Whether you support Manchester United or not, there can be no doubt that Sir Alex Ferguson, the man who led the club’s unprecedented era of English footballing dominance, is one of the greatest managers of all time.
Despite his spending much of his professional life in the public eye, Fergie’s steely persona meant we hardly ever got a peak behind the curtain into his life and works. That was until Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In was released.
7. The Class of ’92, 2013
Continuing on the Manchester United theme. If Sir Alex Ferguson was the brain of Manchester United’s dominance in the late 90s and early 2000s, The Class of ’92 was the heart.
For those who don’t know, the Class of ’92 refers to the members of Manchester United’s academy in the early 1990s who graduated to become integral members of the first team: Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs.
6. Beckham, 2023
David Beckham will be remembered as one of the greatest English footballers of all time. A man with a wand of a right foot, capable of whipping crosses where they need to be and darting free kicks into top corners, far from the goalkeeper’s reach.
David Beckham was also the first footballer to cross into the world of pop culture celebrity. How did he handle the pressure? Beckham shows you how.
5. All or Nothing: Manchester City, 2018
All or Nothing: Manchester City is a truly pioneering documentary. For the first time, cameras were allowed into the day-to-day lives of one of football’s biggest clubs, offering fans a fly-on-the-wall glimpse into what makes the great players, coaches and clubs thrive.
4. Messi, 2022
Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer of all time. There can be no doubt about that, especially considering his 2022 World Cup win.
Messi, the documentary, shows the Argentine ‘as you’ve never seen him before.’
3. Sunderland Til I Die, 2018
One thing about most soccer documentaries is they’re almost always triumphant tales. There is always a happy ending, success or something that makes the viewer feel good. Someone hoisting a trophy or scoring a winning goal of some kind.
That’s not the case in Sunderland ‘Til I Die, which follows Sunderland as they drop out of the Premier and struggle to return. Truly, it’s in a class of its own as one of the best soccer documentaries ever.
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2. Welcome to Wrexham, 2022
What do you get when two Hollywood stars shockingly decide to purchase a non-league Welsh side? Welcome to Wrexham.
The documentary follows Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s ownership journey.
1. Diego Maradona, 2019
To us, Diego Maradona is more film than documentary. Such is the beauty with which it is shot and the story is told.
Maradona’s life is one of the highest highs and extremely low lows. Nothing better showcases it all than this documentary.
